The Midnight Foxxx

Chapter 29

MADDOX

‘Alpha, I need you at the front gate,’ Asher’s voice fills my head.

‘Can it wait? I’m busy,’ I flip to the next document on my desk.

‘No. It can’t.’

‘Why can’t you deal with it?’ I growl, throwing my pen down in annoyance.

‘There’s someone here to see you.’

‘Okay, bring them here then. Who is it?’ I search my brain for any memory of inviting someone over. s**t, did I invite Inaya over and forget again?

‘It’s Vixen,’ my brain screeches to a halt at that name, and I feel my wolf stir with interest.

‘Uh… what?’ Maybe I just didn’t hear him properly.

‘Vixen is here asking to see you. I found her walking down the road near the front gate,’ he explains.

‘What does she want?’ I ask, still reeling.

‘She won’t say. I barely got her to say she wanted to speak with you,’ I’m up and out of my chair in seconds.

‘I’ll be there in a minute,’ I strip my clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. Once I’m out the front door, I leap off the porch, shifting effortlessly before hitting the ground. Claws dig into rough gravel, propelling me forward into a run. The familiar faint scent of lilacs hits my nose and my wolf starts urging me to go faster. Instead, I slow down as two figures come into view. Vixen visibly tenses when she sees me. She somehow looks even worse than the last time I saw her. Her eyes are faintly red and puffy from crying recently. Her clothes are torn and have holes all through them. Her beautiful face is blank, and her eyes are empty, but it's different this time. It's not from drugs. It's like her spirit has been broken. She takes a defensive step back as I approach.

“She won’t say anything,” Asher sighs, frustrated.

‘Have her put a hand on my head,’ I instruct him, lowering myself to lay on my stomach, paws out in front of me.

“Come closer,” Asher waves her forward and she takes a hesitant step.

“Put your hand out,” Vixen eyes him suspiciously but complies, extending out her arm. Asher steps towards her and she steps back again. I chuff, her eyes flick to mine and I nod my head at her, encouraging her. Once again, she steps forward with her hand out, and Asher gently takes her wrist. She flinches but doesn't pull away. He guides her hand until it's resting on top of my head, between my ears.

'I've never done a link this way before, is it working? Can you hear me?' Vixen's eyes widen in shock and snatches her hand away. I huff and nudge her arm with my nose. Eventually, she reaches her hand out again and rests it on my head.

'Can you hear me?' I ask again. The moment she accepts the mindlink I'm bombarded with her chaotic mess of emotions, her inexperience allowing them to transfer through. A single tear falls from the overwhelming sadness and guilt, the intensity of it hitting like a punch to the gut. I feel relief having chosen to stay in wolf form so she can't read my expressions. I get the feeling she wouldn't like knowing I can feel what she feels. My wolf is ecstatic to be connected to her. It takes everything I have to keep him under control.

'I can hear you,' she responds tentatively.

'Good. Thank you for trusting us. Will you tell me why your here?' I can feel her anxiety.

'Before... You said you could help me?' She worries her bottom lip.

'I did. Are you here to ask for help?' she looks away but nods her head.

'I need you to look at me, and use your words,' that earns me a fierce glare.

'I would like your help. If you're still willing to give it,' Vixen keeps her head facing me, but her eyes are looking off to the side.

'I'm willing to help you, but we're going to have a long chat first. I need you to tell me everything,' I sense her dread, but she accepts the terms.

'Okay,' an excited bark escapes my throat, my wolf suddenly bursting with delight. Thank Goddess I can't physically blush in this form.

‘I’m gunna have to ask that you strip yourself of your weapons though,’ her hands twitch as she eyes me wearily, but complies. Knives, axes, brass knuckles, throwing stars, even a can of mace are piled on the ground in front of her.

“That it?” Asher asks sarcastically, but she nods yes.

'Hop on,' I instruct, and internally chuckle at her bewildered look. Vixen hesitates but eventually steps closer to stand at my side. She grabs two handfuls of fur before looking back at me for reassurance. I nod and she pulls herself up onto my back. I let her settle before standing up and taking off towards the house. Arms wrap around my neck tightly and the coyote yelps from the sudden movement. My wolf preens at the physical contact. When we reach the house, I lower myself to the ground and let her slide off before shifting back into my human form. Her cheeks turn bright red at the sight of my naked body and quickly looks away.

"Sorry," I chuckle and head up the porch steps and through the front door. She follows distantly behind me. My clothes are still where I left them in the foyer and quickly pull them back on.

"Come on, we'll talk in my office," Vixen follows me silently through the house. When we reach the stairs, she stops, looking up at the second floor with uncertainty in her eyes.

"He's not in the house right now," I say reassuringly. The smaller woman takes the first step with trepidation. My hand gently rests on her middle back, ushering her forward. I guide her to my office, pointedly taking a wide birth around Wilder's bedroom.

"Go ahead and have a seat," I open the door for her and gesture to the chair that sits opposite of my desk. She obediently follows my directions, sitting in the large guest chair and pulls her knees up to her chest. I sit on the opposite side behind the desk.

"Alright, let's start with who you work for. Who is he?" It takes her a moment, but she finally answers.

"His name is Silas. He's a warlock and the owner of the Midnight Foxxx." Her voice is muffled from talking into her knees, but I can still make out her words.

"And why do you work for him?"

“He owns me. Well, my soul technically,” sadness creeps into her voice.

“What was the deal you made in exchange for your soul?” She shifts uncomfortably in the chair.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember.”

“When you were here last you said you didn’t know your name either,” Vixen simply nods her head. “What do you remember?” Red eyes meet mine and I feel my heart stutter.

“Nothing.”

“How long?” I watch as her brows pinch together in thought.

“What year is it?” I chuckle, thinking she’s joking, but the quizzical look she gives me says otherwise.

“Is that a serious question?” She nods.

“It’s twenty-twenty-five.”

“It’s been roughly ten years then,” she says, sounding surprised.

“You really didn’t know what year it was?”

“I’m not allowed to have a phone or anything that allows internet access, and I was never allowed to leave the club, until recently, and even then it was only with permission and under specific instructions,” she shrugs. I’m speechless. Anger begins to simmer under my skin. The sudden urge to wrap her up in my arms and protect is overwhelming. I take a deep breath.

“Why are you coming to me now?” Vixen turns her head away from me, tightening her arms around her legs. “What happened?” I press, but the coyote shakes her head. "We’ll come back to that. Why don’t you ever shift into your other form?”

“I can’t. It’s not allowed,” she still isn’t looking at me.

“What do you mean you can’t?” I watch her take a deep breath before lifting her head and sitting up straighter.

“Because of this,” her hand brushes along the black leather collar around her neck.

“You can’t take it off?” She raises a brow at me.

“Don’t you think if I could, I would?”

“Fair enough,” I put my hands up in surrender as I watch her absentmindedly stroke the collar, the leather under her fingers faded from the repetitive action.

“Hey, Madds!” the office door is thrown open. Wilder struts in without knocking and Vixen visibly tenses.

“What have I told you about knocking?” My voice comes out as a growl and I stand from my chair, glaring at the offending Gamma.

“Relax, man, I was just-WHAT THE f**k IS SHE DOING HERE?”